San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-26
THE CIRCUS BLACKS.

The first time saw Pussy Black she was
tobogganing in buffers tray down the golden
stairs of the Mansion house at San Francisco
| As tobogganing was not at that time fash
| ionable pastime in the states | concluded that
| Miss Pussy had evolved this novel amuse-
ment from the depths of her own mischieeous
consciousness Being a sad and promiscuous
flirt, even at the age Of TO- she had doubtless
done the Delilah act by the head waiter in
order to obtain possession of the buffers tray
However this may have been, her tobog-
gaming was scarcely success She bumped,
bumped, down half dozen stairs with a de-
lghtful grin on her small countenance Then
alasl A yell and a shrek, vision of long
red legs and flying yellow hair, a rapidly
descending confusion Of youthful anatomy;
and another bump. This time it was Pussy's
head that came in contact with the hard floor
at the foot Of the stairs.
| asked the youngster where she was hurt
as she lay back in my arms with closed eyes.
and she touched one dimpled hand to her fore
head. The chambermaid brought water, and
bathed the poor forehead, and ther kissed
the place to make it well Then 7 kissed it
again, because somehow thought that Miss
Pussy liked being kissed by a grown up
hlSStl ubT Il UUlTu Cllne because
rather enjoyed the performance myself
A coquettish smile appeared on Pussy's
rosy mouth, and my vanity took alarm. l
felt that the little fiirt was deliberately lead
ing me on. l turned the injured innocent
over to the tender mercies of the chamber
maid. and sailed forth to keep a uusIn.,s ~.
pointment connected with the mining inter
ests that had brought me out to California.
A few days later | was at party given to
celebrate the birthday of little girl who was
the only daughter of one of the richest mining
men in San Francisco. 1t was a good old fash
Toned American party, where old and young
mingle in the Virginia reel and round the fes-
tive bowl-of lemonade came across very
agreeable woman of handsome middle aged
presence, who knew her California like a
book, and told me who all the queer people
were. Sure of her own pedigree, which was
OF the best South Carolina brand, she could
afford to be cynical on the subject of Pacific
Coast ancestry. She watched the new arrivals
through an imposing tortoise shell eyeglass
and checked them off one by one for my bene-
fit in vein of gentle sarcasm.
"Aha! Here come the Circus Blacks"
said Mrs. Penderlip, calling my attention to
group proceeding toward us from the direc-
ton of the door. "What superb diamonds
Mrs. Black wears And just to think that her
mother used to keep stall in the market, with
pipe in her mouth and her head tied I'D in a
red handkerchief I've bought many a cauli-
flower Of her myself"
"Why do you call them the Circus Blacksl"
asked
Everybody knows them by that name
partly, suppose, because they act and dress
as if they belonged to a circus, and | have
heard legend to the effect that Mrs Black
once Travelled with circus. Black first saw
her when she was performing her great bare
back feat on couple of wild steeds at Sacra-
mento, where he kept tailor's shop. He got
into mines after he was married, and that's
how he made is money"
AT this moment the Circus Blacks swept by
us in solemn and stately procession. There
really was something about them that sug-
gested the grand entree" of well regulated
circus company opening the performance, the
crack of the ringmaster's whip being repre-
sented by the sarcastic click of Mrs. Fender
lips eyeglass
Mr.. Black was a short, stout man with a
stubby beard. His bald spot just came up to
Mrs. Blacks magnificent diamond necklace.
Mrs. Black was unquestionably fine figure
of a woman Plump, black haired, rosy
checked, in her yellow satin train almost
covered with point lace, and with the upper
portion of her vigorous frame dressed chiefly
in diamonds she looked very goddess of
bullion.
Behind Mr.. and Mrs. Black walked two
little girls One was about IA, dark, plain
and scowling, dressed in pea green silk, with
her bair in pigtails and horrible red, coral
necklace reposing on her collar bone, like the
mark of the hangmans rope. The younger
gill was blonde, smiling and coquettish. The
real Valenciennes petticoat arrangement
which she wore over a light blue silk slip,
stopped short above her knees. Her infantile
and very bare bosom sustained several rows
of costly pearls, and in her ears she had large
single diamonds, which cleaned against her
yellow locks.
am only man, and consequently not
posted in details of female attire; but
gathered the impression that the younger
Miss Black was, to put it mildly, insufficiently
clad. was pleased for her sake that the
room was warm. Apparently, my views were
shared by Mrs Penderlip.
"Just look at Pussy Black" she exclaimed,
in Mortified tone. "She looks like ballet
girl or circus rider. The story about her
mother must be true. They say blood will
tell. Those long, silk stockings fit like tights {"
Miss Pussy Black turned her pretty head at
that moment and caught my admiring eye
She smiled, in sweet and not displeased sur
prise, and recognized the interesting young
heroine of the amateur tobogganing episode
When the royal progress of the Circus
Blacks was over, when Pussy's papa was tax
ing his whisky straight, in company with
other mining millionaires in retired corner
of the "palatial MANSION when Pussy's
mamma was discussing servants wages with
the proudest matronage of glorious Califor-
mia, l looked for Miss Pussy with intent to
claim her hand in the giddy waltz l found
her sitting in a corner with a dozen youthful
handles, in pumps and frizzes, about her. She
was queening it with right good will, and
there was not female creature within
twenty feet of her. She had learned thus
early to dispense with chaperones.
Miss Pussy affected indifference toward me-
at first with coquetry that was quite ma
ture; but her vanity was presently kindled
by the thought Of being the object Of grown
up attentions, and the little dancing school
boys were sent about their business. We
danced and flirted, and pulled those snapping
turtle things which do perennial duty at chill
dren's parties, and exchanged notices and
even pledged each other in champagne
limited to Miss Pussy that should like to
make the acquaintance Of her mother in or
der to be able to call upon herself Pussy
only opened her blue eyes wide and said, de
mTely:
4Oh, you needn't mind ma. have plenty
of gentlemen calling on me- Mas generally
out shopping in the daytime. II she's in we
can sit in the hall. The chambermaid in the